Hyne's Comeback
by Gunblade Girl
Summary: Third part of Squall's Sister trilogy. A strange being gathers sorceresses from all over to get their powers and... destroy the world! With two on their side, Squall and cie will not allow that! But what happens when one of them becomes a threat?
1. Prologue: Sleepwalking?

Note: Here it comes! The third part of the Squall's Sister trilogy! I really suggest to the new readers of this story to go back and read the prequels! It will help you understand. In fact, this is the last IMPORTANT part... I think of making a sequel to the trilogy... *sigh* 

I don't think there'll be spoilers but just in case  watch out! Can't say I didn't warn you!

Enjoy!

Hyne's Comeback 

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Prologue: Sleepwalking? 

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            _A prophecy forgotten in time:_

_            When this world's creator comes back_

_            She will claim the being bearing the mark of the Lion_

_            Would this being be a man would become her faithful Knight to help her claim          _

_            her powers _

_            Would it be a girl, Hyne would claim her body to be her host..._

            _Soon, the prophecy will be fulffilled..._

It was dark, there was nothing, nothing at all, not even a tiny piece of light to hold on to. Any ordinary person would go insane in such a place. Luckily, Coran's no ordinary girl: she's a Sorceress! And a powerful one! At the best of her form, her powers are greater than Ultimecia's, different but more powerful. There was a time where she was feared but not anymore, now that she had her brother, her Knight, and friends, nothing could go wrong... Or could it?

            'Come... Come... Come...'

            The voice was surreal, not really there but in the same time, everywhere. A strong voice calling her.

            She didn't know but she felt like she had to follow that voice, like she didn't have any other choice, anything else to do. Suddenly, she felt like coming back, pulled back or rather falling, away from the voice.

            'I will come back...'

            Coran's eyes opened on dawn's light spreading on the entrance on the recently finished rebuilding Garden of Balamb. It took weeks of work but it was now working, goog as new.

            The thing was that her eyes opened as she was standing in front of Balamb's entrance... What was she doing there? The last thing she could remember was that she went to bed with Seifer. Now she woke up standing in the hall... 

            Thinking she might have been under too much pressure, she spun around to go back to bed for a few more minutes of sleep.

            Maybe she just had troubles sleeping, she ended up sleepwalking. Maybe... but maybe not...

            That's just the prologue! I did it quick but I want something for you to hang on to! So?? Promising? Give me some advices! I want to make a point clear: I'm living in Quebec, Canada so I normally speak french... I was of the bests in english classes but I still have troubles with grammar as someone made me notice. It's good to know I have trouble... I just want to know where!! If you see errors, show them to me so I know what I'm doing wrong! See ya!


	2. Chapter 1: A New Threat

Chapter 1: A New Threat

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            Later this morning, the gang was meeting in the cafeteria for breakfast as usual. Coran had forgotten about what happened earlier and just enjoyed her meal.

            "Isn't everything nice?" Selphie asked making a move of her hand around. "I helped a bunch to restore Garden!"

            "Hey, we all helped!" Zell complained. "And we were well rewarded!"

            "Enough hot dogs to give you a stomach ache for two weeks," Quistis said with a smile. "And you swallowed up everything in half an hour!"

            "Wonder where you put that?" Irvine asked outloud.

            "He fills his stomach with food while you fill your eyes looking at girls!" Selphie said.

            "Ouch..."

            Squall kept eyeing the entrance of the cafeteria from time to time. Coran was just smiling to everyone back in a good mood while Seifer noticed him.

            "Something wrong, Squall?"

            Since Seifer was dating Coran, Squall's twin, he's been closer to the others than ever, especially to Squall. Nicer too.

            "Just waiting. Rinoa said she'd come for breakfast."

            "Really?" Selphie exclaimed, pushing Irvine away who was trying to hug her.

            "Yeah... She said she would come early to wake me up..."

            Squall blushed not finishing his sentence, leaving the others hanging.

            "Hey!"

            Everyone turned to the entrance and saw Rinoa running to them. Except for their gang, the cafeteria was nearly empty at this time of the day. And except for Rinoa, none of them was fully dressed. Coran was just wearing a long blue t-shirt with light pants under. Seifer wasn't wearing his coat and recently. He has given up on combing his hair back, rather letting it loose each side of his face.

            Squall wasn't wearing his jacket, Irvine wasn't wearing his coat or his hat, Selphie was wearing a cute pink pyjamas with kitties on the front, Quistis was wearing something like a kimono and Zell... was he ever changing clothes? Still had the blue bermuda and the jacket and his hair was the same as usual, chicken like.

            Rinoa placed her hands on her knees to catch her breath as Squall was approaching a chair for her.

            "Hey, what took you so long?" Squall asked with a smile.

            "Sorry," Rinoa said with a wink as she sat down. "Something strange happened to me this morning."

            Coran's heart missed a beat as she recalled her own thing from earlier.

            "What?" Irvine asked. "Girl thing?"

            Selphie slapped him behind his head.

            "Dummy! Are you doing this on purpose or are you like that only in the morning?"

            "Like what?"

            "Stupid!"

            "So, what is it?" Quistis asked to change the subject.

            "You ever heard of sleepwalking?"

            They all nodded except for Coran who was getting a strange feeling.

            "I think it happened to me. I went to bed yesterday and early this morning I woke up standing in my house."

            "Maybe you just woke up and blacked out on your way?" Zell supposed.

            "I don't think so. I really woke up, stretching myself and everything until I realized I was standing up."

            "Weird," Irvine said.

            Coran was frowning curiously and Squall was the first one to notice she was keeping silent.

            "Something wrong?"

            Realizing he was talking to her, she looked up.

            "Are you still tired? You look weird."

            "Oh, it's just what Rinoa said... I think the same thing happened to me this morning."

            "What?" Seifer stated a bit angry. "Why didn't you tell me?"

            "Because after waking up in the hall, I went back to bed and forgot everything until Rinoa just talked about it."

            "Well, it may be just a coincidence," Quistis said like a doctor. "After all, you two used lots of your powers to help repair Garden so maybe you overdid it and it's playing tricks on you."

            "It never did before... Not even when I nearly died merging my evil and good parts together," Coran said.

            "Yeah..." Rinoa said. "I feel something's coming... and it can't be good."

            "Well, no one was hurt and for now, that's all that matters to me," Squall said holding Rinoa and looking at Coran. "But would it ever happen again, I want you both to tell us okay? We'll keep track of that. If it continues, you'll see a doctor."

            "Come on," Coran objected. "We're not sick!"

            "Well, you never know!" Quistis warned.

            "Meanwhile!" Zell interrupted. "Let's eat! I'm starving!"

            Somedays later, the SeeDs were finally seeing the end of their hard work coming. Taking Garden out of the sea was a thing but repairing that thing from an ancient civilization was another story. Forunately, nothing major was damaged. Those Centra people knew how to make things last longer than themselves could.

            Early one morning, long before the sun would rise on the horizon, a girl's eyes wide opened on the scenery of a burning horizon, caressed by the borning rays of the sun.

            Coran dropped on her knees, her palms on the ground in front of her. Sweat was covering her face and she was panting. She was trembling.

            "What... what was that?" she asked with a hoarse voice. "What was that voice just now... Someone...someone's calling me... who? Where?"

            She looked at her hands. They were trembling. She got up in a flash and rushed back in Garden. She ran straight to the dormitory but not to her room. Her heart was beating fast but not because she was running, because she was scared.

            She stopped only once she was facing the door to Squall's room. She opened it so hard it banged on the wall.

            "Squall!" she called.

            But her attention was caught by the scene offered to her. Squall was firmly holding Rinoa like he feared she'd leave and never come back.

            "I tell you I'm fine, Squall," Rinoa said. "I'm not going anywhere!"

            "What's going on?" Coran cut.

            Squall released Rinoa and turned to his sister. Rinoa was wearing something like a night gown but Squall, only an underwear. But since it wasn't the first time Coran was seeing him like that, she didn't say anything.

            "I was half-asleep when Rinoa got out the bed. I asked her where she was going but she didn't answer. I found it strange so I got up... Her face was so strange, like a zombie... I've never heard of sleepwalking people who looked like zombies... Her eyes were yellowish,  like giving their own light. So I held on. She didn't say a thing, just trying to move away until she came back to her senses."

            "I felt like someone was calling was me and I had to go."

            "Squall," Coran interrupted with fear in her tone. "The same thing just happened to me..."

            Squall closened in on her, worried.

            "Your feet are hurt, where did you go?"

            "I woke up outside Garden..."

            "Outside?" Squall exclaimed with concern.

            "Squall!"

            Someone bursted in so suddenly everyone was startled.

            "Coran's gone!"

            It was Seifer.

            "Calm down," Squall said. "She's there."

            In his haste and panic, he hasn't noticed she was standing right by the door.

            "Coran!"

            He grabbed her and held on tight.

            "Where were you? When I woke up and saw you weren't there, I feared..."

            "It happened again," she finished in his place.

            He held her at arms length and looked in her eyes.

            "What?"

            "You heard her, Seifer," Rinoa said. "It happened again. Squall kept me here but Coran woke up outside."

            "Outside?"

            "This is getting serious. I think we should dress up and meet the others," Squall said with a formal tone.

            The other three nodded. Squall was frowning, Seifer looking concern and the two sorceresses were scared to death.

            Half an hour later, the whole gang was meeting in the cafeteria. Normally, they would have met in the headmaster's office but it wasn't big enough to hold their whole gang. They had to close the cafeteria so Raijin and Fujin were guarding the entrance.

            Once Squall was done telling everything to the others, they remained silent. What could they say? This was getting serious and they didn't like it at all.

            "Man!" Zell exclaimed. "Are we fated never to know peace for more then a few weeks in a row??"

            "Calm down, we still don't know anything about this new threat," Squall said still being nervous.

            Coran had a frown of concern and Seifer was holding her to comfort her but it was useless. Rinoa was scared too. Something was wrong...

            "Maybe it's an unknown disease?" Quistis suggested. "You two worked so hard to restore Garden..."

            "No, it's more than that," Rinoa said shaking her head. "I heard someone..."

            "Me too," Coran started shyly. "Someone is calling me and each time stronger but all of a sudden, it stops and I wake up!"

            "Let me through, I've got information!"

            Everyone turned to the entrance of the cafeteria where Xu was trying to force her way through Raijin and Fujin.

            "Let her in!" Squall said.

            They obeyed and Xu hurried to them.

            "Sorry to interrupt but I thought you might want to know. I heard about what's happening to you two and made some research on my side."

            "You heard?!" Rinoa exclaimed with surprise but with fear as well.

            "I overheard you talking and it got stuck in my mind... Forget about the disease, no one else in Garden suffer from that. No other sleepwalking students, or people hearing voices. So I researched farther, news on TV and stuff."

            "So?" Irvine asked.

            "It happened to a few girls only around the world."

            "What?"

            Since the broadcast in Timber more than a year ago, they brought back television things so they could know everything that was happening the world over.

            "Apparently, all the girls it happened to show traces of Sorceress powers."

            "No way!"

            "You serious?"

            Xu nodded gravely.

            "They're powers are too weak for them to be developped but they're definately there."

            Coran starts trembling. She has a bad feeling about all this. It can't be just a coincidence that only Sorceresses are called wherever it is they're called to.

            "Did it happen all in the same time?" Squall asked with hope.

            "Yes. This morning and a few days ago too."

            "This can't be!" Seifer exclaimed. "Who could be strong enough to call all these girls in the same time?!"

            "And keep them under his control," Quistis added.

            "Whoever it is isn't strong enough to keep them coming long enough," Squall said. "They woke up so that power is strong but not for a long time."

            "Hey, wait a minute!" Irvine interrupted. "Rinoa received Edea's powers who has received hers from another Sorceress and took on Ultimecia's. Coran received Adel's and developped her powers with her own strength, making her stronger than Ultimecia, right? No one could be stronger than that it's impossible!"

            "It seems it is possible," Rinoa cut. "Someone somewhere has powers greaters than ours. Strong enough to call us all in the same time but not enough to track us to the source of this call."

            "What should we do, then?" Zell asked. "Tie the girls up to be sure they don't go anywhere?"

            Coran looked at Rinoa who nodded.

            "On the contrary, we'll wait for it to happen again," she said.

            "What?" the others exclaimed in the same time.

            "You can't be serious!" Selphie said.

            "She's right," Coran approved. "When you see us leave, you should let us go. Then we'll know what's going on."

            Seifer strongly shook his head, completely against the idea.

            "This is way too risky! We don't know what's out there!"

            "That's the whole reason. Once we get where we're called to, we'll know what it is."

            "I'm not too sure about that," Squall said in a worried tone.

            "No, my mind is set," Rinoa said. "When it happens again, you let us go. You'll have to follow us because in that state, we'll be vulnerable."

            "I agree too."

            Despite their determination, the girls were scared to death. What if that thing that was calling them would hurt everyone? What was it?

            Was it good? More of it coming, a lot more!! I hope you read the prequels or else you'll be lost in the upcoming chapters! See ya!


	3. Chapter 2: So the Threat is Revealed

Chapter 2 : So The Threat Is Revealed…

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            The following days went by like months to the gang. They knew what they had to do and they didn't like it one bit. But waiting for the two Sorceresses to start leaving was killing them.

            But the day came. One morning, Coran got up without a word and left her room. Seifer has been sleeping lightly to be sure not to miss her. He didn't bother putting his coat on, only his cross shirt and his pants along with his boots and followed her. Coran was bare feet and only wearing a large t-shirt. Luckily she didn't go to bed naked.

            Knowing Rinoa has spent the whole time in Garden, he was almost expecting her as he walked the way down the hall. In fact, she was in front of him, just behind Coran. 

            "Seifer!"

            The blond guy turned around to see Squall coming to him. He was trying his best to put his boots on and walk in the same time. His hair was a mess. Seifer could have laughed but it was not really the right time for that.

            "I guess this is it," Seifer said.

            "No kidding! I wonder if this time they'll get there or wake up half-way."

            "We'll find out soon enough."

            The two boys followed their Sorceresses, not thinking about warning the others. They were afraid to lose the girls would they lose even a minute.

            Both Coran and Rinoa were walking at the same pace. Both looking straight in front of them but not seeing anything. Their eyes were blank and still. Blind, they were walking as if there was someone else inside them. Squall and Seifer were following and they were nervous. They were more worried about their girlfriend's sake than their own.

            The girls stepped outside Garden and walked to the back side of it where the Ragnarok was parked. 

            "You don't think they're gonna take that?" Seifer asked.

            "I don't know but if they do, we'll have troubles telling the others where we're going..."

            The Sorceresses stopped in front of the hatch. Rinoa was standing there while Coran went to open it. Then they both stepped in, followed right away by Squall and Seifer.

            "Shouldn't we stop them?" Seifer asked.

            "No. The plan is to follow them wherever they go. They we'll think of something."

            "Nice plan..."

            The hatch was closed behind the guys, startling them. Who closed it and how?

            The girls, walking side by side, headed for the elevator. Squall and Seifer stepped on it just before it went up. The girls didn't seem to notice anything.

            On the bridge, the girls walked to the pilot and co-pilot seats but didn't sit down. They just stood behind the seats and poited their fingers to the panels. Buttons were turned and levers pulled. The Ragnarok took off and they didn't touch anything! They were moving it with their will alone.

            "Where are we going?" Seifer asked looking at Squall.

            But the SeeD leader was just as lost as he was.

            "How should I know? They are the ones being controlled, not me!"

            "What can we do?"

            "If they let me do it, I'll contact Garden. The alarm was on so probably they  already know the Ragnarok is gone. We'll call and tell them to switch Garden to mobile mode."

            "Are you sure about that? It wasn't done since it was pulled out of the water."

            "It didn't break when it was pulled out, it won't now. I'll just tell them to get ready and wait for my next call... If those two will let me do it..."

            Squall slowly walked to the side panel allowing communications. He kept his eyes on his sister and his girlfriend for any sign of agressivity. But they both remained motionless as Squall turned the panel on.

            "Leonhart here, does anyone read me? Balamb, do you read?"

            "SQUALL!!"

            Squall jumped backward and Seifer was startled. Squall took a peek at the girls but they seemed deaf along with blind. They didn't care at all.

            "Selphie don't yell like that," Squall answered.

            "We've been worried sick about you! When we realized the Ragnarok was gone we thought right away it could be you. Are Coran and Rinoa with you?"

            "Yeah and I don't have the slightest idea where they're taking us. I don't know how long I have so listen."

            Squall exposed his plan to Selphie.

            "All right! We'll do as you say. When you call back, we'll be ready."

            "I just hope I'll have the chance to call back... Over."

            "Roger! We'll be waiting! Over!"

            Squall turned away from the panel and looked at Seifer who was standing behind Coran. There was something strange on his face. Like he wanted to hold her tight but wasn't sure if he should.

            "Seifer..." Squall called.

            The blond guy was so deeply concentrating he was startled.

            Squall arrived and placed his hand on his shoulder.

            "She's not dead, just asleep."

            "Yeah... I know but... I can't help it!"

            Seifer clenched his fists and shut his eyes.

            "It makes me mad knowing that someone is toying with their lives!"

            "Then let's make sure they will not be endangered."

            Seifer nodded with a frown of determination. Then both knights turned to the window to see where they were heading.

            "We keep going in the same direction," Squall said after a while. "Where are we going??"

            "Look!" Seifer said pointing at something. 

            Farther, ground started to show its face. That continent was familiar to Squall. Then he started figuring where they were going when the Ragnarok started slowing down.

            "The Centra continent..."

            "But why? There're just ruins here!"

            "At least we know where we're going!"

            Squall quickly went for the panel and called Garden again.

            "Already? I wasn't expecting your call so soon, honey!" Selphie joked.

            "Get Garden moving south! Head for the Centra continent right away! As fast as you can, push it's limit to the max!"

            "What if it doesn't hold on?" Selphie asked in a worried tone.

            "It will! Now hurry, we're almost there!"

            "You're the boss!"

            The comunication was stopped and Squall started praying they would get here real soon. Whatever was waiting for them was bad news, he could feel it. Maybe it was because of his link with Coran. Somehow, she was aware she was moving against her will.

            "The ruins," Seifer said.

            Squall hurried to him and looked through the window. They were coming down close to the centra ruins. What was there? Since they got Odin from that place, there shouldn't have been anything else!

            The Ragnarok landed then the girls walked back to the elevator in the same time. The guys couldn't do anything but to follow.

            They walked to the ruins where a surprise was waiting to greet the newcomers. In the central place where there was te statue of a Sorceress and her Knight, scattered around it were standing about a dozen girls with just as many guys standing behind them, probably boyfriends. All the guys seemed to wonder the same thing than Squall and Seifer: what's going on?

            The other girls were just like Coran and Rinoa: like zombies.

            Coran and Rinoa walked to two empty spaces as if they were meant for them.

            Squall and Seifer did as the other guys and placed themselves behind their Sorceress.

            All guys were worried about their friend. They were Sorceress with unrevealed powers since they were too small. But still, who would have thought there were others?

            A sudden light appeared on top of the statue, calling everyone's attention, even the girls's but only their face were up, their eyes weren't seeing anything.

            The light faded and a form appeared.

            "What the..." Seifer started in a whisper.

            The form was of a girl. She didn't seem real because you could see through her, but also because of her look. She was undescribable, beyond human, surreal. [sorry for the lack of description, I really don't know how to describe her! Sorry!]

            Her face was clear and when she placed her eyes on the crowd surrounding her, those not in a trance could guess she was wise beyond her looks because she didn't seem very old to them. She was wearing clothes unknown in this world.

            "Who..." Squall's voice trailed off as he was unable to speak.

            Steps came from the entrance of the ruins, calling their attention. Selphie, Zell, Irvine and Quistis arrived.

            "We made it!" Selphie exclaimed.

            Then they caught a glimpse of the scene.

            "What the hell...?"

            "Where are all these girls coming from?"

            "And who's that?"

            The strange girl turned to the group and bent her head aside.

            "Oh! I didn't expect my Sorceresses to come with such a crew!"

            Her voice was soft but cold in the same time. Someone who would have lived peacefully all his life would have been comforted by that voice but not Squall and his friends. They faced evil often enough to recognize it when they were in front of it.

            "But then again, I'm glad to see there are other people to witness my grand coming back!"

            Zell frowned and started punching the air.

            "Who the hell are you, anyway?" he asked in a mad tone. "Your Sorceresses?"

            "Can't you tell? I'm your mother, your creator and these girls mentor," she said pointing them with a wave of her hand.

            They start showing strange faces as she keeps talking.

            "I was the very first Sorceress ever!"

            "You... you don't mean...?" Squall started not believing it.

            "Yes! I'm Hyne!"

            I'll leave you hanging... mwahahaha!


	4. Chapter 3: The World Is Mine

Chapter 3 : The World is Mine…

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            It fell on their heads like a ton of rocks. Hyne… she was Hyne…

            "No..." Squall trailed off. "This can't be!"

            "Hyne's only a legend!" Zell exclaimed. "From a bedtime story for kids!"

            "Or if she was real," Quistis started just as shocked as the others. "She should be dead, no one lives forever!"

            Hyne had a smile that would have caused even Ifrit to shiver.

            "In fact, I was really close to dead after giving my powers away. But not completely."

            "What do you mean give your powers away?" Seifer asked.

            "It took me sometime to make this world. I was pretty tired once I was done, but I couldn't rest with my powers so I scattered them across the world to a few girls."

            "Making them Sorceresses?" Irvine asked.

            "Exactly."

            So that's how Sorceresses were born... No one knew about that. There was all kinds of theory about this matter but no one knew for sure what happened of course.

            "It took me all these years to get a visible form. I was always around but I couldn't do a thing and no one could see me. Now that I've gattered enough energy to be visible, I just have to get my powers back to get a physical form."

            "And what do you intend to do once you get it?" Squall asked.

            They were all burning to know the answer but they all feared it so no one had the guts to ask except for him. She had a smile as if she was glad someone asked.

            "I will claim back my place as this world's ruler. This is corrupted, full of evil and wars! Once I have all my powers again, I will end this world and start it anew!"

            "What?"

            "Don't worry, you'll all be reborn and be unaware of all this."

            "No!" Squall objected. "These times we fought to save ourselves and the world... What was it for? Nothing??"

            "We like this world just the way it is because we helped making it this way!" Selphie said.

            "There is nothing you can do or say to change my mind. I've already decided."

            She raised her hand over her head.

            "No!" Everyone screamed.

            All the girls around the statue collapsed along with their knights.

            "Just the girls' powers were a little too insignificant so I took a bit of energy from the guys as well."

            She frowned when she saw that they were still some people standing.

            "What?"

            Rinoa, Coran and the others were still standing and the girls were frowning at her.

            "Oh, I'm surprised! So you resisted my draining spell along with my mind control. I'm impressed!"

            Unlike the other girls unaware of their powers, Coran and Rinoa learned to use them and improve them, making them stronger and able to resist.

            Hyne bursted out a strange laugh.

            "Don't be foolish, you're not that strong! It's only because your powers are different and I weakened up from the mind control and draining spell. It took me most of my powers to drain these girls's and I can't remain that long in the material world. That's why I had to try few times before managing to call you all here."

            She started blinking and fading. She looked at Coran and caught a glimpse of her hand. Her face lightened up and her eyes widened as she saw the ring she had. It was Squall's ring. He lend it to her thinking it could bring her protection since it came from there father. He thought it would make her stronger.

            Hyne pointed her fading hand at Coran.

            "The ring... The Griever..."

            Coran looked at her hand.

            "Huh? What's with it?"

            Hyne's face suddenly turned blank.

            "If a man wears the ring that brings grief by the time Hyne comes back, he shall be her knight... But if it's a girl, she will become her host..." she trailed off.

            "What did you say?" Seifer asked.

            "What do you mean a host?" Squall asked.

            Coran was trembling. What was this feeling? Everyone was shocked by the sentence but it seemed to ring a bell to everyone. It was an old prophecy, left on this world by Hyne herself to the Centra. It was lost with the ancient civilization's fall but some traces of it remained in history books. It was partially changed but it was still the same thing.

            "I'll come back for you," she told Coran with a strange smile as she kept disapearing. "Don't worry..."

            She vanished. Coran dropped on her knees, a chill going down her spine. She was in shock.

            "Coran, you alright?" Seifer inquired with concern.

            She was breathing fast and cold drops of sweat were rolling down her face.

            "I... I don't understand... her host?"

            "Yes, her host," a deep but warm voice answered her.

            Everyone looked behind them, to the entrance of the ruins and saw a familiar looking creature.

            "Akuma!" Squall exclaimed.

            The gang went to him, Seifer helping Coran up.

            "I really thought it would take more time until we'd meet again," Selphie said.

            "I was hoping it would take more time..." Squall said.

            Akuma was looking at the statue.

            "So she has come..."

            "You're gonna talk to her, right?" Rinoa asked with hope.

            "I can't, neither any of the GFs. She created us so our powers are null against her."

            "But you said you would come back!" Squall said getting mad. "Why if you can't do anything?"

            "To tell you that you have the power to change all that. The sake of this world is not in her hands anymore but in yours. She thinks she can do what she wants because she created this world, but it's because of you it's still a safe place to live. You'll have to defend it once again, but this time, the enemy is your creator."

            "How can we defeat the creator?" Zell asked.

            "It's impossible," Quistis stated. "She's not material, only a ghost, a shadow."

            "Precisely. She'll need a physical body, then it will be possible to kill her."

            "But she needs her powers to get a physical body," Irvine started.

            "Or a host," Coran completed.

            Seifer held her tight.

            "She won't any of this. As long as she's a shadows, she's harmless."

            "Maybe..." Akuma said mysteriously.

            He turned away to leave.

            "Wait!" Squall called. "You're not staying?"

            "My place is not here. I'll stand back and watch how the world turns out. Whatever the outcome, I won't hold a grudge against anyone."

            And he left. The gang was lost even more.

            "What should we do then? Wait?" Irvine asked.

            Squall turned to the ruins where they came from.

            "We can always start by taking these people home. Since Hyne took their powers, I guess it means these girls are just ordinary girls now."

            As they were helping everyone to the Ragnarok, Coran didn't move an inch, staring at the ground. Why me? I never asked for these powers, for this strength...

            She looked at her hands. These hands that killed monsters, nearly killed her friends but still they believed in her and gave her their friendship. She looked at her hand. Squall said it would give her strength but she didn't want to be strong, she didn't want Hyne to use her as a tool! Why did she have to come back? Couldn't she trust them? These humans she brought to this world herself?

            "You okay?"

            She looked up at Squall. He was looking at her a worried way. Then he took her in his arms.

            "She can't do anything to you. She won't..."

            "But... the ring..."

            "It's just a ring!" he said grabbing her shoulders. "It can't do anything to you! As long as she's not material, she can't harm you. And as long as she doesn't get her hands on you or Rinoa, she won't become material and as long as you and Rinoa are stronger than her, she won't get her hands on you!"

            He looked so sincere, but deep inside he was worried too. What if she would succeed? This would mean the end of the world! The end of Coran...

            She looked at him then smiled.

            "Thank you. I guess you're right, I shouldn't worry too much..."

            But still..

            "Hey, Commander!" Zell called from the hatch of the Ragnarok. "Everyone's on board waiting for you!"

            Squall turned his head the ship's way.

            "Coming!"

            Then he looked back at Coran.

            "Let's go home for now. She won't get you, Coran. I promise you, she'll never get you!"

            He was frowning but not of anger or anything. Just to add more weight to his words.

            "Coming?"

            "Yeah..."

            He tried to smile then walked to the Ragnarok. Coran followed him.

            _She won't get you, Coran... I swear on my life she won't! It's a promise and I intend to keep it even if it's the last thing I do!_

Once everyone was on board, the Ragnarok flew all over the world to take all the girls free of their previously unknown powers and their 'knight' back home. Deling, Dollet, Balamb, Galbadia, Timber, Trabia even Winhill! All over the world not to forget Esthar.

            Since they were there, Rinoa asked Squall if he wanted to stop by see his dad and tell him everything. At first he thought he should but then he objected. With his president duties, Laguna didn't have much time for their 'little problems'.

            Of course the others thought it was more than little problems but Squall was very stubborn. He didn't want Laguna to worry about his sister and him. He was already worried about her himself. But he promised nothing would happen to her... And as the Ragnarok was flying all the way back to Balamb Garden, an idea found its way in his mind that would help him keep that promise...

So??? Am I leaving you hanging? Just want to be sure you'll come back often to see if I updated...

**Presently, I'm working on two fics at the same time and have two more started on stand by... Since this one is the last part of a trilogy, I think it's more important... The other's a FFX fic!! Liked the game? Go take a look! Two chaps so far, working on the third... I shouldn't have done that though, two fics at the same time...**

**I'm doing the best I can!! I'm gonna have the PC for myself three days long and I'll be all by myself at home. I nearly don't work this week so I'll write more!!**

**Sorry for my errors, my corrector's down, and I don't have the time to read myself twice if I want to update fast! Sorry I'm so lousy!!**


	5. Chapter 4: The Sacrifice of One

Chapter 4 : The Sacrifice of One

****

            The sun has disapeared over the horrizon when the Ragnarok finally landed behind Balamb Garden. Everyone was exhausted. Because of the world travel and of the recent events that occured. They felt a little too involved in this. Especially Coran. With Rinoa, they were girls who never asked for their powers… Except when Coran's dark side was taking her over. Not much Sorceresses asked for their powers… When they did, even fewer didn't encounter trouble related to it… Like Edea took Ultimecia's powers, later was possessed by her.

            Eager to go to bed, no one said a single word as they disembarked from the Ragnarok and entered Garden. Each went different ways once they entered the dormitory. Rinoa first wanted to stay in Deling when they made a stop there to drop someone, but Squall insisted to keep her with him. Hyne might have said she wanted Coran, but who says it wasn't a trick? They're all so busy protecting her they leave their defenses down and the other Sorceress free to be taken over.

            He said that but in fact he didn't mean it. Hyne wanted Coran, she would go after Coran… Not if he could help it.

            Squall went ot his room with Rinoa, taking a peek of Coran leaving for her room with Seifer. Even though they were exhausted, their faces were marked with concern. Squall's mind was a bit foggy so he just went to bed with Rinoa.

            In her room, Coran wasn't that calm. When would Hyne come back for her? Would she become a zombie one more time? Hurt her friends? Hurt Seifer? Two arms were wrapped around her shoulders from behind.

            "For now, you're yourself so let's just sleep for now. If you're too tired, you'll be weak and then she'll be able to take you over."

            She turned to him with fear on her face. Seifer wished he could tell her everything would be just fine but he couldn't. He didn't know if he would be strong enough to protect her from Hyne... He couldn't even save himself from being manipulated by Ultimecia how could he stand a chance against a god?! 

            He hugged her tight and closed his eyes.

            "I...I'm scared," she said.

            "I know... don't worry, I'll never let anything bad happen to you... If Hyne wants you, she'll have to get through me first..."

            He took her head up and kissed her before dragging her to the inviting bed.

            The night has halfway gone by when the door of Coran's room was opened wothout a single sound. The rooms in Garden were always maintened pretty handedly. Doors often oiled, windows changed for harder weathers, everything for the students' comfort.

            But that it didn't make a sound at that time wasn't a very good thing. A shadow appeared in the door frame and took a look in. Seeing Seifer tightly holding Coran with a frown of concern on his face brought a smile to Squall's face. Hyne would have had a hard time to take Coran out of Seifer's grip.

            He looked around, scanning the room looking for something. He has received a special training for his eyes to nearly see perfectly in the dark so he was doing just fine in the dark room. He saw what he was looking for on his sister's desk, by her clothes. He walked to the desk and took what has been his for so long he couldn't remember when he got it: the Griever ring. He placed on his left middle finger then raised his hand over his face to look at it. It really belonged there, on his hand, not on Coran's.

            He turned back and looked at Seifer and Coran. He closened in on them and stared at the worried face of his twin. She also looked comforted with Seifer's presence while he looked concerned and protective of his Sorceress.

            Squall bent over and gently placed a hand on her cheek. She didn't flinch.

            "Don't worry," he whispered in a soft and gentle brotherly tone. "You will not become a host to Hyne..."

            He stood back and looked at her for what he thought would be the last time then he spun around and left, closing the door behind him just as silently as he opened it.

            He went out with the Ragnarok and flew it to the Centra ruins. Taking off without any notification to Garden would have started the alarms but as the Commander, Squall had a private password to bypass it. It was in case of an emergency where he wouldn't have time to request authorization.

            The crimson red spaceship flew acrosse the night sky and landed silently out of the ruins. On this far continent, day was staring to show it's face.

Squall came out of the Ragnarok and walked his way in the ruins to the statue. In front of it, he looked up as if Hyne was there.

            "Hyne!" he called. "Show yourself! You must have plenty of energy for that!"

            He didn't have to wait long. He saw her figure appear over the statue. In the early day, she almost seemed human... Almost...

            She smiled at him.

            "You came alone? Why did you disturb me?"

            Without answering, Squall raised his left hand, palm facing his face.

            "Recognize this? I have the ring so I should be your knight. If a man wears the ring that brings grief by the time Hyne comes back, he shall be her knight... But if it's a girl, she will become her host..."

            Squall expected her to look mad because he changed things but she seemed rather pleased.

            "You're offering yourself as my knight?" she asked with a smile.

            "Under one condition: that you leave my sister alone! Okay? Promise me you'll do nothing AT ALL to her and I'll be your... Knight..."

            "That prophecy was my doing so the people would always remember I would come back... It changed over time but it's still mine. I will respect it."

            She oustreched a hand toward her Knight that she expected would be taken by him. Understanding that would make the deal. He brought his hand up to hers, climbing part of the statue to reach her. This scenery looked like the statue in fact. The Sorceress showing her hand to her Knight and him desperately trying to reach it.

            When Squall's hand touched her ghostly , but still real fingers, his body felt cold, like pierced with a thousand of sharp cold needles. When it reached his brain, his eyes turned blank. Holding him firmly, Hyne smiled seducively.

            "Welcome home, my dear Knight..."

            When the morning reached Balamb, Coran woke up early. There was a light knock on her door she answered to.

            Rinoa half-opened it and placed her head in.

            "Sorry," she whispered. "I guess you haven't seen Squall? He wasn't there when I woke up..." 

Facing her desk, she placed her eyes on it. Still half asleep, she didn't notice anything at first but after a minute, she widened her eyes in horror: the ring was missing! She freed herself from Seifer's grip with force moving pushing, waking him up.

            "Wha's wrong?" he asked half asleep himself.

            She got up, looked all around the floor, all over the room. It was obvious to Seifer and Rinoa she was in a panic. The he also noticed what made her like this as he remembered she took off the ring before placing it on the desk next to her clothes. She fell on her knees with tears in her eyes.

            "NOOOOO!!!!" she yelled out with despair.

            Just a few minutes later, the whole gang was in her room, alerted by her scream. 

            No one was dressed. Guys in boxers, girls in t-shirts and in Selphie's case, short t-shirt. Their hair was a real mess! Even Quistis'. Usually always ready, she wasn't the same at all just out of the bed. It could have been funny wouldn't it have been from Coran's face. Rinoa also had tears in her eyes.

            "He took it... He took it...!" Coran kept repeating hysterically.

            "Who took what?" Irvine asked.

            Coran seemed unable to move an inch so Seifer kneeled down to take her in his arms in an attempt to comfort her.

            "Don't you see? Squall took the ring!"

            "Huh?" Selphie said not understanding. "Why would he take it?"

            Coran was unable to speak clearly as the tears were altering the sound of her voice  so Seifer did it for her.

            "Isn't it obvious? 'If a man wears the ring that brings grief by the time Hyne comes back, he shall be her knight... But if it's a girl, she will become her host...' He's gone to be Hyne's knight..."

            "No way!" Selphie exclaimed.

            "You don't really think he did that?!" Quistis asked unable to believe it.

            Rinoa's eyes were shining with tears. Yes he did... She knew he did. He did it...

            "Hell!" Zell exclaimed feeling mad. "What a selfish jerk! Only him will survive once Hyne destroys the world!"

            Coran's head was brought up so fast Seifer was nearly knocked by it. The frown she granted Zell brought a cold chill up everyone's spine. They were burning with raging fire. She got at incredible speed and faced Zell. From closer, her frown was deadly, her eyes turned red and Zell didn't like this at all... These eyes seemed familiar to him...

            "HE'S NOT SELFISH!!!!!!" she yelled. "If you ever bad mouth my brother again, I'll make you remember I'm stronger than Ultimecia!! Remember the feeling of electricity running through your body?? I can help you!!"

            Zell shivered as he remebered those eyes: they flashed in his mind when she captured him under her dark self's control... The feeling came back. But he wasn't gonna show her he was scared. He frowned back.

            "Now you threaten me? Ha! You're really a Sorceress... You know what, Coran? You're no better than Ultimecia or Hyne!!"  
            And he ran out the room.

            "Zell!" Quistis called.

            But he was gone and not coming back.

            Suddenly realizing what she just did, Coran's eyes filled with sorry tears as she dropped back on her knees.

            "He's right... (sob) I'm no better than them..."

            "No!" Selphie exclaimed. "It's just normal you want to protect your twin."

            But she was also scared by Coran's behavior just now.

            Coran wanted to give a reason why her brother wasn't selfish but she couldn't find any... Everyone wanted to hear a reason why Squall left with the ring to become Hyne's knight but even though Zell was the one to asy it outloud, they almost all thought he was right.

            "She's right," Seifer said. "It was not for himself that Squall left.."

            But he couldn't say why either. He wanted to trust his old rival... But could he? He had to for Squall trusted him with his sister's well-being.

            "It was for her," Rinoa said to cut the silence. 

            Everyone looked at her including Coran. Through her own tears, Rinoa explained.

            "He did it in an attempt to protect Coran. Becoming Hyne's knight, he can be close enough to her and think of a plan to defeat her."

            "But since she's not material, how can she be defeated?" Quistis asked.

            "Would Coran have become her host, she would have become material. I'm sure Squall prefered to try his luck with Hyne unmaterial than have to fight Coran... It was to protect her from Hyne and from himself in the same time."

            From all the people standing in that room, friends, family, it was his girlfriend who understood his motives. She knew he did it for his sister but she also knew that he would have done it for her as well. She trusted him.

            Coran was shaking her head as though she refused to believe Squall was gone. She was afraid for him. She felt her heart squeeze in her chest. Seifer hugged her.

            "I just hope Hyne will not feel like control him or we'll have him as our enemy as well...."

            And everyone thought that it wouldn't be good at all.

            **So?? Hanging?? Hehehe...**

**            What fo YOU think? Agree with Zell Squall's selfish and only want to save his skin from the end of the world or you think Rinoa's right? Review me please? Is this story messing with your mind or is it good? Tell me, I love reviews!! Good or bad, it tells me at least someone reads my stories! I've got plenty to read!**


	6. Chapter 5: The Sacrifice of Another

Chapter 5: The Sacrifice of Another

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            Some times later, Zell came out of the training center where he past his anger on a T-rexaur and defeated it all by himself! It was long and hard but it was worth it. He walked with his head up with a pride smile. He found himself wishing Squall would have been there so he could tell him. He wondered if he would be proud of him. But then he frowned and shook his head. He was mad against himself. He went to the training Center to get Squall out his mind and here he was thinking about him!!

            As he past by the dorms on his way to the cafeteria, he stopped and looked down the hall. Then he bit his lips feeling remorse thinking about Coran.

            "I was too hard on her... It means a lot to her and I was a real pain in the ass... I guess I should apologize to her..."

            But as he started walking again, a sound made him freeze.

            "Zell!" a voice called in a whisper.

            Zell turned around in a flash and couldn't believe his eyes. Squall was standing in the shadows.

            "Squall! I thought you... Everyone was worried sick!"

            "Hush! Can I talk to you privately? It's really important."

            "Sure! Let,s go to the Quad, no one's there right now."

            Zell went first and Squall followed him looking around as if he was afraid would be looking for him.

            Once they're standing on the Quad, Zell notices Squall's hands are tied with wrists bands. Following his gaze, Squall decided to explain.

            "Hyne wanted to make I would not escape. She didn't think I'd be able to do it anyway..." he said bringing his fists up.

            "I must tell the others about this to get you free."

            Squall raised his hands.

            "No, no..I should keep them just in case..."

            Zell frowned to the strange tone then shrugged. Maybe it was better. If he was close to Hyne, who knows of she wouldn't be able to take over his body!

            "Hey, how did you escape? Did you learn anything useful?"

            "No," Squall said shaking his head a sorry way. "Nothing useful. Hyne took me to the unmaterial world she stays to get her strength back but there,, I grew weaker. I found a failure in this dimension and came back."

            "Well, I'm sure glad you're alright. Coran and Rinoa are gonna be so relieved! The others too of course!"

            Zell went to the edge of the balcony that has been repaired after Seifer and Squall broke part of it few weeks ago. He rested his forearms on it and looked at the horizon.

            "Hey! I defeated a T-Rexaur all by myself!"

            Squall slowly came behind Zell.

            "Great! It could be useful..."

            His wrists bands suddenly melted from Squall's wrists and morphed into a small nunchaku. Zell turned around and widened his eyes with shock as he saw Squall run to him at incredible speed with a grin on his face and a mean glow in his eyes. He swung the nunchaku and hit Zell's arm hard.

            He felt the pain but the biggest pain was in his heart. He couldn't believe it! He must have been under Hyne's control!

            "You're under Hyne's control?!"

            "You wish!" Squall exclaimed as he swung the nunchaku towards Zell one more time.

            Zell managed to turn aside and dodge it.

            "I followed Hyne," Squall explained as he kept walking and running around Zell in search of an opening in his defense to strike a painful blow. "I followed her because I wanted to live!"

            It was what Zell told the others but hearing Squall say it himself sounded so wrong he knew it couldn't be right.

            "No way! I don't believe it! You wanted to protect Coran, didn't you? That's why you left, wasn't it?"

            "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Don't be more stupid than you already are! I only wanted to have my chance!"

            But Zell wasn't fooled. He could clearly see now Squall's eyes weren't normal. He realized they already looked like that when he saw him in Garden... What a fool he didn't notice earlier!

            Zell kept dodging every single blow Squall threw at him. Then a smile came to his lips.

            'Hey, Hyne was pretty stupid to make your weapon a nunchaku! Your weapon's the gunblade, not the nunchaku!"

            Squall smirked and moved as if he was gonna strike left but when Zell moved right, Squall changed his move and hit Zell's knee real hard. A cracking sound was heard and Zell dropped on his good knee. It was painful but he didn't scream, he wasn't allowing himself to do it. He refused. He wanted to try and get Squall back by himself. If he'd scream, it would attract people and they'd surely attack or even kill Squall. Zell was thinking about Coran and Rinoa who would never forgive him if thet would ever happen. Especially Coran. She was already mad at him for what he said he didn't want to carry the burden of his death.

            Unable to stand anymore, Zell was like a piece of meat in the middle of a starving bunch of wolves: done for. Squall seemed to enjoy running and jumoing around him and swinging his nunchaku around, each strike always finding aspot on Zell's body to do damages to. When he tried to get up, a nasty blow on his good leg was sending him back on the ground. Along with the whistling sound of the nunchaku, Zell could hear Squall's maniacal laugh. 

            _It's not him...it's Hyne... Squall I know you're not like that..._

In the beginning, Zell figured out Squall missed him on purpose. Squall was a SeeD after all so he was good at acting and good with any kind of weapon. Just that he prefered the gunblade.

            A strike on his face nearly broke his nose and he spitted blood. His chest hurt, probably from broken ribs. One of his arms was numb, probably broken in many places. Now, even if he'd have wanted to fight back which was not the case anyway, he wouldn't have been able to do it anymore. He felt like he had inner injuries from the beating. 

            Zell found himself wishing he wasn't that strong physically. It damn hurt! If only he would faint, at least the pain would end!

            The time came where he couldn't hold himself up so he collapsed on his front and that didn't help the pain. He felt something slide under his neck and roughly pull him up on his knees, choking him. Squall was using the nunchaku to strangle him. Instinctively, Zell's good hand reached up for the deadly chain and desperatly tried to pull it away. His eyes were shut and his teeth gritted in the effort.

            Squall brought his face close to Zell's ear, holding a firm grip on the nunchaku behind Zell's back.

            "I'll kill them all, one by one," he whispered and smirked. "I'll get rid of every threat to Hyne."

            Zell was having a hard time just to breath. The smallest drop of air finding its way down his throat was painful, he need more. With only one of his hands and after all that beating he went through, he wasn't strong enough to pull the chain away. The remaining strength he had in store was just slowing things down, making him suffer and die slowly.

            "I...always knew...I'd...(cough) young being...a S...SeeD... (ack) If I mu...st die... (ugh) let it b...e at a ffffriend's han..d..."

            He managed to take a deep breath which he feared would be his last.

            "I'm glad.....it'ssss you.... Squall.... (gh)"

            His sight was blurred with fog mix of red and black. Even though he was dying, he managed to form something close to a smile on his face.

            Seeing this, Squall's grin vanished a moment and he hesitated. That second of hesitation was accompanied with a scream.

            "Squall, stop!!"

            Squall looked up to the entrance of the Quad's balcony where he saw Coran and the others. She was the one who screamed. She had pleading eyes, but also horrified at the scenery. Squall was killing Zell, his best friend.

            Squall let one of his hands release his grip, letting the nunchaku loose and realsing Zell from the deadly grip. He fell down face first.

            "Get away from him!" Coran ordered as she ran towards the dying SeeD.

            Squall obeyed, moving backwards.

            She carefully pulled Zell away to her friend's safety and tried her best to cure the worst of his injuries but Squall really didn't go easy on him.

            _He nearly killed him... Few seconds later and he was dead..._

"I'm so sorry Zell..." she said feeling tears burn her eyes.

            But it wasn't her fault of course. She raised her head and frowned madly at Squall.

            "HYNE!! You're a coward! Sending my own brother to do your dirty work in your place!!"

            A shadow suddenly appeared right next to Squall. Hyne.

            "He's really faithful to me and there's nothing you can do or say to bring him back!" she said in a defying tone.

            She seemed rather pleased with the turn of events. Like a little girl looking for trouble because she was bored.

            "That's where you're wrong," Coran stated with a confident smile. "It seems you forgot just one little detail..."

            Hyne arched an eybrow with curiosity. Coran answered her with her confident smile.

            "I also am a Sorceress!"

            She quickly turned her face towards Squall's and locked her eyes on his. His face was suddenly freed of all emotion and his eyes turned blank, empty. Hyne lost her smile.

            "That's impossible!"

            "What is she doing?" Selphie asked.

            The others all wondered the same thing except for Rinoa and Seifer. They knew what she was doing. She was getting over Hyne's control on Squall to control him herself. And she was winning! No wonder: after all she was stronger than Ultimecia and Hyne wasn't really herself yet.

            Coran smiled comfortingly at her brother now completely under her control.

            "Come over here and give me your hand," she said a seducive way.

            Like he was hypnotized, Squall walked towards her and gave her his hand. She took it and took the ring off his hand. Squall didn't say a thing or move a single muscle.

            Coran placed the ring on her own hand and showed it to Hyne with a frown of determination and fatality. She knew she couldn't go back now.

            "If a man wears the ring that brings grief by the time Hyne comes back, he shall be her knight... But if it's a girl, she will become her host... Let Squall go, he no longer holds the ring. I do!"

            "Will you keep your part?" Hyne asked as her face lightened up.

            Everything was going just the way she wanted it to. Nothing could be better.

            Coran nodded, accepting her fate.

            Squall sudenly closed his eyes as they rolled back in his head and he collapsed.

            "Come get him, you guys," she ordered with a tone that wouldn't allow a no for an answer.

            Seifer and Irvine came to pull him back where he slowly came around. He shook his head and quickly looked around.

            "Where am I?" he wondered.

            But then he placed his eyes on Coran facing Hyne and evrything came back to him in a flash like it was stocked somewhere in the back of his mind. He looked at his hand then understood.

            "Coran!" he called with despair as he got up to run towards her.

            But he bumped into something invisible, some kind of wall and fell backward. The others all hurried to him to bring him back on his feet. He roughly broke away fromtheir hands.

            "CORAN!! You can't do this! I had the ring! It was mine!" he yelled.

            "You said you'd keep your part," Hyne reminded. "You'll become my host! It's an honor only you will receive!"

            Coran turned around to see her brother savagely punching the invisible wall she set herself to keep anyone from coming closer and try to stop her.

            While Squall was trying brute force to reach his sister, Seifer was staring at her with a fearful face. She granted them a sorry look full of sorrow but her eyes said she didn't have a choice.

            "It's my fate," she whispered in a barely audible tone.

            She walked towards Hyne. The ghostly figure had a smile of pleasure and opened her arms to the girl. As she walked through Hyne's figure, they merged in an unbearable light. Everyone had to shield their eyes.

            "Coran, no!!" Squall screamed.

            When the light was gone and the gang risked an eye out, they were stunned. What they had in front of them was beyond human. Hyne looked a bit like a human before, but now! She was no longer ghostly first thing, she was material. She had small transparent wings, not like Ultimecia's. Her face was perfect. She had Hyne's smile but the depth of Coran's blue eyes. She also had most of her shape. Being one with Hyne made her a perfect being. Shining with pleasure, her eyes were a darker blue. 

            What they were facing wasn't Squall's twin anymore. She still had similarities, but that's where it ended. Coran was gone, Hyne was now material and more powerful than she ever was. And she was delighted.

            She looked at her hands with admiration and clenched her fists. Her smile grew bigger and she started laughing. Her laughter was clear as crystal with some kind of metallic sound to it. She was dressed a funny way. It was a dressed but like it wasn't finished or torn in pieces covering her body. She had marks all over but they looked more like ancient runes.

            She looked at the others and granted them a look that made them shiver.

            "I must leave for now, I'm exhausted. It asked a lot of energy out of me to merge like this. In three days, I'll be at full power," she said showing three perfect fingers with the ring on the middle one. "In three days I'll remake this world. You can always come and try to stop me if you feel like it."

            "Coran!" Squall called banging his fists on the invisible wall.

            "Coran!" Seifer called as well.

            Hyne pointed a finger at Squall.

            "You should be more concerned about your friend over there than your sister. I kept my promise, she won't be hurt, she'll rule the world!"

            Squall arched an eyebrow then Hyne disappeared along with the invisible wall. He nearly lost his balance, but got it back.

            He turned around.

            "Damn shit!!" he exclaimed.

            But then hie eyes were placed on Zell laying on the ground, nearly lifeless. He widened his eyes. He was afraid he knew only too well what happened to his friend.As the others were treating him, Squall brought his head down and clenched his fists so hard they started shaking. He couldn't believe he did this even though he knew he did.

            By his side, Seifer was frowning at him but he didn't say a thing. Coran... Squall went to Hyne to protect Coran but then Coran offered herself to Hyne to save Squall. And what did he do? Stand back and watch... How pathetic! How could he call himself her Knight? His mind was overflowing with emotions. He could think straight or say a thing. He wanted to grab Squall and get mad at him, say he was foolish, that it was all his fault! That if he wouldn't have taken the ring in the first place, none of this would have happened. But he couldn't because it wasn't Squall's fault. Part of Squall died when Coran and Hyne merged together. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like.

            Squall was mad against himself, he felt helpless, powerless. But then he realized something.

            "Three days... We only have three days to figure out something."

            He looked at everyone with a broken face.

            "Take Zell to the infiramry and don't neglect the medicines to bring him back to health!"

            He past them but instead of leaving the Quad, he stopped and stood by the entrance, facing them his back.

            "I know I'm responsible for Zell's injuries... I don't expect you to believe me or to forgive me, but tell Zell I'm sorry when he wakes up... I know I did it but I don't remember actually doing it..."

            He shut his eyes again.

            "I won't leave it like that! I lost my sister, I won't let the world be destroyed and do nothing! I'll think of something to save both the world and Coran! I'll save her even if it's the last thing I do!!"

            And he ran back in Garden.

            "Squall!" Rinoa called.

            But he didn't answer.

Seifer helped Irvine take Zell but since he had a broken arm and leg, they required Quistis and Selphie to help carefully take him in. They all wondered if he would be able to find something. Of course no one held him responsible for what happened to Zell, but they knew he did. They all saw Zell's face as he was nearly dying at Squall's hand, so they knew he wouldn't hold him responsible either.

Rinoa clenched her necklace for comfort. She used to carry Squall's ring on it, whatwould have happened if she'd have been the one to wear it when Hyne appeared? She would be at Coran's place right now. Maybe it would have been better since she was less powerful than Coran. But she wouldn't have been able to do it. She couldn't control minds the way Ultimecia, Hyne and Coran did. She could read minds, talk telepathically but not control minds. And she wasn't as strong as Coran was. She lived all by herself for years! She was strong, not like her. She needed to be around people, she didn't like to be alone at all.

Now the person she liked most to have around was facing the biggest dilemma of his life: the world or his sister? Would he be able to save both?

He doubted it. Walking all the way to the dorms, he tried not to trouble himself with the recent events, only with the main thing: how to save Coran and eliminate Hyne in the same time.

"I'll find a way," he said outloud. "I'll save you, Coran. Even if it's the last thing I do!"

Unfortunately, it could be...

Whew! This chap was long!!! I couldn't stop typing! It's nearly 3A.M!!! I can't stand that chair anymore! I want my bed!! I work tomorrow!! ARGH!!

**Well, sorry, I'm tired... **

**So? Don't forget to come back in a while! According to my notes, I've got half the story done, but I think I just wrote too many details so I think it's nearly over, only have one chapter left and the epilogue! Wanna hear something funny? I wrote the epilogue 2 years ago! The prologue of The Forgotten Guardian Force wasn't even done and I had the epilogue of this one!!! Sheesh! Hope you like it! Send reviews, is it too confusing? Since I'm so tired I can barely see the screen anymore! I'll just go to bed and dream of Squall torturing himself about what to do to save his sister...**

**I got a cool fight coming up: Squall vs... Seifer!!! Find out why and how on the next chapter: Last resort! (make it sound like a TV show...)**

**Good night... zzz.zzz.**


	7. Chapter 6: Last Resort

Chapter 6: Last Resort

****

            Akuma sighed.

            "I knew it..."

            Maureen looked at him with an amused smile. 

"Of course you knew! Can't you see the future?"

            The old GF looked at her.

            Usually, the future always moves because it can always be changed. But this part was still... The rest is moving, I can't tell what's gonna happen...."

            "Aren't you excited?"

            The mermaid girl seemed pretty excited herself.

            "What makes you so happy?"

            "If Hyne succeeds, the world ends, so does my life... But not my memories! I've been happier in the past weeks, than in the last 300 years!"

            "Maybe... But I don't think the other GFs agree with that. After all, this is the world they worked together to make. To see it destroyed only because of one person's will isn't really fun."

            "I guess so... I just hope Coran and Squall'll be alright!"

            "The Little Magic Girl..."

            "You knew from the first time you met her this would happen, right?"

            Akuma nodded silently.

            "And for Squall?"

            "He also has his part to play... The fate of this world will depend on Coran's reaction towards it... She can still change everything..."

Squall was walking to his room, rather running. He wasn't thinking about Zell he nearly killed, about Rinoa wooried about him, Seifer powerless in fron t of what happened to Coran, not even thinking about what just happened to him... Just about a way to save Coran and stop Hyne from 'remaking' the world.

            When he got to his room, he locked himself in and started pacing around like a starving lion. He started doing what he used to do best in the past: think. 

He had three days to stop Hyne... three days to save his sister... His sister he wasn't able to help... He took the ring and went to see Hyne so Coran would be safe... He didn't even know what he would have done with her, he just wanted his sister safe... Now she was gone...

            Squall took his head in his hands and shut his eyes tight as he felt pain in his heart. He fell on his knees and let out a desperate cry.

            "Coran!"

            He couldn't protect her from Hyne... He didn't keep his promise.

            "I'm sorry..."

            He tried not to think about that. The more he was thinking about what he didn't or couldn't do, the less time he had to think about a way to save her.

            Two days went by and he still hasn't found anything. He kept his room locked to everyone, even Rinoa, refusing to eat or to sleep, knowing Hyne wasn't sleeping, just growing stronger.

            He couldn't think of anything! It was not like when she was possessed by her dark self and could fight back, they merged! They were one!!!

            The morning of the second day, Seifer went to Squall's room.

            "Are you dead in there?" He asked jokingly. "Come on, Squall open up!"

            He waited and the door was opened. Seifer was almost scared by what he saw. It was Squall but he looked ten years older! He had dark eyebags, his eyes were swollen and his cheeks carved in. He looked like a zombie but Seifer decided not to tease him about that. The frown of concern on his face discouraged him from ding it.

            "Found anything? You've been here for two days! The world's gonna be history before you find enything!"

            Squall let Seifer in. The blond guy went to sit on Squall's bed while Squall just faced him gravely.

            "I'm afraid I don't have a choice," he said a fatal way.

            Seifer was afraid he knew what he was going to say next.

            "I'll have to kill her..."

            "You're not serious?!" Seifer exclaimed getting up.

            Squall waved his arm away.

            "I don't have a choice! Since I started thinking two days ago, that idea found its place in my mind and wouldn't leave it! I tried to think of another way, but..."

            His arms fell each side of him and he lowered his head.

            "To save the world and everyone I care for, learned to care for..."

            He couldn't finish his sentence, it wouldn't come out of his throat. He had to sacrifice Coran so the world would be saved. He had to sacrifice Coran to save her in the end.

            Seifer was frowning and shaking his head, shocked, refusing this idea.

            "I can't believe it! You'd sacrifice your own sister? Just like that?!"

            "There's no other way!" Squall nearly yelle at Seifer in a desperate tone.

            As he said it, Seifer could see tears shining in the corner of Squall's eyes. He didn't like the idea more than him. It was his sister after all, the only family he had a link with since Laguna wasn't always there with them.

            Seifer closed his eyes a moment.

            "Tch..." he said with contempt.

            He walked to the door then stopped. 

            "I can't believe it... Well I sure won't help you kill the girl I love!!" he said not even turning around before leaving the room.

            Squall sat heavily on his bed and took his head in his hands... Would he be able to do it? Could he do it? He had to, he knew he had to, but... What would Coran say if she saw him now?

            _"Come on, now, Squall! Cheer up! You're my brother and no one can take that from us! We can die, our souls are tied together, like soulmates! Hey, don't tell Rinoa I said that!"_

He pictured her smiling face as he thought of these words. They rang so much like her voice in his mind he wondered if she wasn't around to say it or maybe she said that before? He couldn't remember if she ever did.

            "Hum... Squall?"

            Squall looked up and saw Zell in the door frame, holding a tray with food. He looked a bit concerned. Then Squall realized he was crying. He wiped the tears away from his eyes, thinking Coran wouldn't want him to cry.

            "Sorry..." he said as he got up.

            Then he did as she would want: cheer up.

            "Hey, are you feeling better?" he asked.

            Zell might be a bit dumb sometimes but he wasn't fooled. He could see something was bothering his friend.

            "Yeah!" he still answered raising his arms. "Coran's magic did part of the job and DR Kadowaki did the rest."

            Squall suddenly took on a sorry face.

            "I'd like to say I'm sorry, Zell... For what I did to you, because I know I'm responsible but I don't remember doing it! It was like... watching a movie! It was my hands hitting you, my mouth threatening to kill everyone, my feet moving around but..."

            "It's okay, man. I know you're not responsible Hyne was manipulating you..."

            Squall frowned with curiosity looking at Zell. He seemed to have something on his mind as well. He handed him the tray. Squall didn't look hungry but he still took it and ate everything. He felt a lot better after that.

            "I have to confess to you I doubted you Squall..."

            "What do you mean?"

            "The morning you left, I thought you joined Hyne so you'd live once she would have destroyed the world. I thought you were selfish... The others all believed in you, especially Coran. She got mad at me, real mad... for a moment she looked like her other self..."

            Zell looked at the floor and clenched his fists.

            "She was the only one to take your part so when she threatened me to hurt me if I'd badmouth you again... You know what I told her? What was the very last thing I told her?"

            Squall figured Zell wasn't waiting for an answer, only to find the will in him to say what he had to say.

            He looked back at Squall with shame in his eyes.

            "I... I told her she wasn't better than Ultimecia or Hyne! I said it just like that!!!"

            He looked so desperate Squall wondered if he wouldn't start crying like when he was a kid... But Zell was a grown up now, he wouldn't cry... Not really.

            "I didn"t even apologized to her! Nothing! Now she's gone and it's all my fault!!"

            "What are you saying?! She didn't merge with Hyne because of you!"

            "I feel like she did... Because I said these awful things, she merged with Hyne to save you, making her much and much better than any other Sorceress! Better than me... She must have laughed at me... Look Zell! Think Hyne would do that to save someone? Am I not better than them?!"

            Squall placed a comforting hand on Zell's shoulder.

            "I'm sure she's not mad at you. She already forgave you. She treated your wounds, right?"

            "..."

            "I left so she'd be safe but then she takes the ring from me and still merges with Hyne... I did all this for nothing. She must have been pretty mad at me."

            "Yeah..."

            Squall took a deep breath and looked at Zell.

            "Now I want you to do something for me. Go get the others and gather near the Ragnarok. We're leaving."

            "You thought of something?" Zell asked as he lightened up.

            Squall nodded but with no smile which caused Zell to lose his.

            "What... is it?"

            "I'll kill her..."

            Zell jerked back as if he's been shot by a Thundaga spell.

            "What?"

            "There's no other way..."

            Zell figured Squall didn't want to say more about that, that it was painful for him just to say it so he went to do as he was asked.

            "Zell!" Squall called. "Don't bother going after Seifer, he's not coming."

            "He already knows?"

            "Yeah... Came in before you..."

            Zell just nodded and left.

            Squall went to his case and took his gunblade out. The Lionheart was shining. To think that he'd have to bury it in his sister's chest.... He felt an unpleasing shiver travel through his body. He shut his eyes and tried to focus to keep his determination from faltering. Then he headed outside himself.

            Zell was really quick. When Squall stepped in front of the Ragnarok, everyone was alreasy there, weapon in hand, waiting for him. Except for Seifer, of course.

            He stopped in front of them and placed his gunblade on his shoulder.

            "Let's go," he simply said.

            He entered the ship and everyone followed.

            He went to the pilot seat and Rinoa sat next to him, like the first time they ever set foot in the Ragnarok. The others all sat behind without a word. Except for Zell, they didn't know what was going on. He kept silent, thinking Squall would tell them himself or maybe someone would ask.

            "Hey, Seifer's not coming?" Irvine asked.

            "No," Squall answered simply again.

            Quistis looked at the others and they all shrugged except for Zell who simply avoided her gaze. He wasn't gonna tell everyone Squall was dealing with the idea of killing his sister!

            The elder girl got up from her seat as Squall started to fly the ship towards the Centra ruins.

            She went to Squall's seat and placed her hands on the back of his seat.

            "What's the plan? If you don't fill us in, we can't do much."

            Rinoa looked at Squall with an empty face like she already knew what he wanted to do. After all, she could read his mind.

            "You'll be my back-up," Squall said.

            "Back-up?" Irvine exclaimed. "What for?"

            "In case I fail..."

            "Fail what?" Selphie asked.

            "Killing Hyne..."

            Quistis moved back, withdrawing her hand from Squall's chair. They all hoped Squall had a killer idea to save everyone and everything but not that kind of 'killer' idea!

            "What?" Quistis said unable to say anything else.

            "No way?!" Selphie exclaimed jumping off her seat. "You don't really want to kill Coran, do you???"

            Squall lowered his head. Everyone objected, everyone but him... Only him wanted to do it... Was there really no other way?

            "I don't have a choice!" he said in a desperate tone.

            From the waves of sorrow they could detect in his voice they knew he didn't enjoy it.

            "You'll do it if I fail... I'll attack her but if I hesitate a little too long, she won't hesitate to kill me so you'll have to do it. I want to try myself so if I... kill her, I'll carry her death on my shoulders alone..."

            Rinoa simply place her hand on top of his and kept silent. She knew she couldn't say anything to ease his mind. Squall was facing the biggest dilemma of his life. 

Quistis looked at him a moment then went back to her seat.

            "Well, now I get why Seifer didn't come," Irvine said.

            The rest of the flight was in silence until they reach the Centra continent and the ruins. Squall landed the Ragnarok as close as he could then they got off.

            Squall went first and insisted for everyone to stay back, including Rinoa so Hyne wouldn't be able to get them all if she'd want to attack.

            In front of the statue, Squall frowned. He felt pain in his heart, but his determination was strong.

            "Hyne! Show yourself to me, now!!"

            She did. Realizing she was more Coran than Hyne, Squall felt his will waver a bit.

            She smirked.

            "You're early," she said with that voice that was his sister's.

            "I will destroy you now, Hyne! Since you're not at full power yet, it shouldn't be too hard."

            Squall forgot one little thing: he wasn't at full power either. After all, he hasn't slept for two days!

            She chuckled.

            "I don't need all my strength to beat you!"

            She smiled.

            "Do you really want to kill your sister, my dear brother?"

            "I am not your brother!!" Squall yelled really mad. "My sister is dead and it's to free her spirit I've come her! I'm gonna kill you all by myself!!"

            "Then why did you bring all your friends?"

            "In case I fail... If I succeed, I'll carry the burden of my sister's death alone! I killed her! I promised her I wouldn't let anything happen to her and I failed... Now she's gone so I'll kill you and save her!!"

            He took his gunblade in his hand in fighting position.

            "It's just you and me, Hyne!!"

            She had a strange face.

            "She's not alone," a voice said.

            Everyone looked at the statue. The voice came from behind and Squall was afraid he recognized it.

            "No..."

            The first thing they saw was the tip of a gunblade, then the arm holding it and the person the gunblade belonged to.

            "Seifer..."

            He walked to the front of the statue, his eyes on Squall. Those eyes were not empty or blank, they were Seifer's and so was his face. He wasn't controled, it was really him.

            "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!" Hyne laughed with pleasure. "I won't fight you, my Knight will!"

            "Your Knight?" Squall repeated bringing his eyes back on Seifer.

            Eyes full of questions.

            "I told you I wouldn't help killing her," Seifer reminded. "I still want to believe that there is another way to save Coran and the world in the same time."

            He swung his gunblade out.

            "If you insist, you'll have to get through me first!"

            "Seifer! I already told you I didn't like the idea more than you!! I don't want to kill a friend too!"

            But then Squall held his gunblade with two hands.

            "But if I must do it to save the world, I won't hesitate!"

            Seifer poited his gunblade at Squall and frowned.

            "I'd rather sacrifice the world than stand back and watch the girl I love being killed!" He said swinging the gunblade backwards.

            "Because life isn't worth living in a world where she wouldn't be!!"

            He dashed Squall who quickly brought his Lionheart up to block Seifer's blow. He knew he couldn't talk Seifer out of this so he'll fight... He doesn't have the choice!

            Seifer swung the gunblade across Squall who barely moved back to avoid it. Seifer had a frown on his face. He was serious but so was Squall.

            Squall trusted then swung aside when Seifer moved to dodge it but he blocked. The clashing sound of the gunblades hitting each other was echoing throughout the ruins. 

            "Yaah!" Seifer screamed as he swung from top to bottom. Squall blocked it over his head.

            Then he pushed Seifer away, putting all his weigth on his weapon. Seifer jumped aside and Squall nearly lost his balance, giving Seifer an opening on his arm. Squall extended his leg and Seifer tripped on it. Both got up in the same time and faced each other for a while, walking around. Both had their fighting instincts really sharp. Last time they fought each other was on the Quad the day Squall fell in the sea and nearly died. But it was nothing compared to the fight they were having now! Now they were serious! Each wanted to kill the other!

            They moved toward each other at the exact same time. They crossed their gunblades between them, each pushing on it, baring his teeth.

            Hyne was smiling, pleased. This was really amusing her. But it wasn't amusing the others at all! If they'd keep going, one of them would be killed for sure!

            Rinoa grabbed her ring. Usually, she was holding on to Squall's but if was Coran who had it now. Hyne...

            Squall's mind started to wander which wasn't to good during a fight. He wondered waht would happen if he'd kill Seifer? He'd fight Hyne... Would he ever be strong enough, he'd kill her... Then what? He'd probably die.... Either from sorrow through his link with Coran or he'd kill himself. He'd probably go crazy after killing both Seifer and Coran so either he'd kill himself in his madness or do it as a punishment because he'd never be able to face his father and tell him he killed her... He'd die either way he wins or loses.

            He knew Seifer wasn't manipulated by Hyne. He was fighting for Coran, for his love so Hyne didn't see the use of taking control of him. Seifer was serious. He was fighting Squall for his love, fighting a friend. While Squall was fighting a friend and his sister to save the world... He didn't have a chance in a fight for feelings. He started thinking about his own feelings about this. He knew he couldn't do it, he wouldn't be able to. 

            He started lacking the effort to fight back then he completely stop, so did Seifer, looking at him curiously. Squall dropped his gunblade and spread his arms.

            "Kill me," he said.

            The others were surprised but they didn't know what to do. They couldn't interfere, they could never interfere between these two. Even though they were now friends, they were still rivals. Always were, always will.

            Seifer looked at Squall in silence and curiosity.

            "Huh?"

            "I can't do it," Squall said. "And I started thinking that... Maybe Coran placed that idea in my mind from the beginning. She'd rather die at my hand than live forever as part of Hyne after destroying the world.... It's not a good idea.... I know I wouldn't be able to live with that on my shoulders so I want you to kill me Seifer..."

            Seifer remained motionless for a while then pointed his Gunblade at Squall. The others all held their breath, stunned with fear.

            But Seifer smiled and lowered is weapon.

            "I know there is another way to save Coran than to kill her. Besides, she'd be really mad at me if I'd kill you."

            "You're right," Squall said with a smile. "I was stupid to think that it was the only way."

            "Not your fault... Well, we might as well join the others and quickly think of another plan."

            Rinoa sighed with relief and smiled seeing the fight was over without any losses. But on top of the statue, Hyne wasn't smiling at all, rather annoyed. She was mad things didn't turn out the way she wanted them to. But then her frown changed for a smirk. She poited her hand towards Seifer who froze. He frowned and his arms started to shake a bit.

            "You okay?" Squall asked with concern.

            All of a sudden, at incredible speed, Seifer's arm was brought up towards Squall. Unfortunately, that arm was the one holding the Hyperion. It went straight through Squall's stomach so deep the tip pierced through his back.

            Squall stiffened and his face twisted with pain.

            Seifer stared at that with wide eyes filled with horror.

            "Kyaaaaaa!" Rinoa yelled.

            The others stood just as horrified as Seifer was. But behind him, Hyne was showing a pleased smile.

            Seifer slowly took a step back, bringing his gunblade out of Squall's stomach just as slowly. Stained with his blood, the Hyperion was dropped on the ground out of Seifer's trembling hand. Squall jerked when the gunblade went out of him and reached for the wound on his stomach, looking at Seifer with pain all over his face. He was not accusing him, he knew it wasn't his fault.

            Squall looked up at Hyne, looking down at him a disgusted way.

            "Co...ran..."

            He collapsed. With high fear, Seifer caught him. That was the signal for the others to join them. Rinoa kneeled down and placed Squall head on her thighs. Under him, the ground was slowly being stained by blood.

            Rinoa was crying, Selphie sobbing in Irvine's arms, Zell was on his knees on Squall's other side so was Quistis with tears silently rolling down her cheeks. This wound was too serious to treat it with magic, there was nothing to do.

            Somehow, all of them knew who was responsible for this. Hyne was responsible for willing to change the world. But to Seifer, Coran was responsible for not being able to overpower Hyne. He really thought she was stronger than that. Not being able to stop Hyne from ending the world was a thing but not being able to stop her from stabbing Squall!!! He felt responsible too for being manipulated by her but to him, it wasn't Hyne who did it, it was Coran.

            He spun around and shot her with deadly eyes, filled with tears of rage.

            "Coran!!"

            She was smiling calmly at him as if everything was well.

            "Why did you do it, Coran?"

            "Now, with the only threat to my life being dead, I can wait for my powers to be whole again along with my dear Knight."

            "I'M NO KNIGHT TO ANY EVIL SORCERESS!!!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "I already told you that in the past!!!! I wanted to defend you because I thought my presence would bring Coran back!!!"

            He lowered his head and clenched his teeth along with his fists.

            "But it seems I was wrong... It's true: Coran's gone..."

            "It's... not...true," Squall objected with a hoarse and painful voice.

            Everyone looked at him with hope that he might be fine, but a second look at his lethal wound told them it was just a matter of time until he'd die.

            "Coran's... not gone... She gave...me the idea to kill...her... It's my fault for... being weak, unable...to do it...It's not...Coran's fault..."

            He brought his head up, gritting his teeth as he tried to focus his blurry sight on Hyne who was looking back at him indifferently. He raised a trembling hand as if he was trying to catch her.

            "Coran...come...back...."

            Then his arm fell and the pain took him over. He was dead. Rinoa hugged him and cried like when she found him in the time compressed world and he was dead... Except now, he was in the real world so she couldn't bring him back.

            The tears Seifer only had in his eyes were shed. Somehow, he couldn't stop crying. They were tears of sorrow and fury...

            As Squall died, Hyne suddenly lost her smile and her face turned white. Something was wrong.

            Seifer spun around to her.

            "Coran!! You killed your own brother!!!"

            Hyne reached for her chest and started breathing faster. She clenched her heart and lowered her head.

            "Squall....Squall...."

            Then she looked back at him. Her eyes started filling with horror and tears as her face twisted with pain. It was as if Coran realized what she just did. She held her head in her hands and started shaking it slowly.

            "No, Squall... it can't be... It can't be!"

            Suddenly, something snapped in her. She spread her arms each side of her and yelled at the top of her lungs. Yelled with pain and sorrow. Her powers seemed to explode at that moment. A gigantic wave of energy spread from her, all around, blowing the others away along with the centra ruins. Most of the continent was blown away.

            It stopped when she stopped yelling. She dropped on her knees and tried to catch her breath but her sobs and tears flowing non-stop on her face were choking her. Her look was different but she still had the wings and the dress. Her face was different. Coran came back. Her link with her twin broken by his death shattered her heart and the pain called her back. She was still feeling this pain all over her body, inside, in her heart. It also called her powers out and caused this.

            She got up, trembling and without a word to look at what she's done. Rinoa was blown away still holding Squall. A bit farther, Zell, Quistis, Irvine holding Selphie. Closer to her, Seifer. Their torn up clothes were a good sign to their status: they were all dead. The strength of her pain was too much for them to handle. She killed them all... Squall first with Seifer's hand.

            She lowered her head again and started sobbing.

            "Why me? Guys... please.. forgive me... Squall..."

            She shut her eyes. It seemed the only way her pain would be eased would be for her to snatch her heart from her chest and squeeze it hard.

            "Don't... cry..." a voice said real low.

            Coran raised her head with wide hopeful eyes. It was Seifer's voice. She hurried to him.

            "Seifer!!" she called.

            Once she was on her knees by his side, he turned his head to her. He looked terrible. His eyes were dead and he couldn't move anymore. It was a wonder how come he was still alive.

            "It... alright, Coran... It's not ... your fault... How could...you... overpower... the creator..."

            "Seifer, I'm so sorry!! I should have been able to stop her!!"

            "Don't worry... no one'll hold... a grudge.. against you... Now....you're the... most power...powerful being alive...you can do what...you want..."

            She even got Rinoa's powers but she didn't realize that yet.

            "You...can...be ruler of... the world!"

            He said that in a funny tone and with a smile but Coran didn't see what was so funny about that...

            "Whatever you decide.... I'll be with you... I'll always...be..."

            He took a deep breath that caused his to cough out blood. Coran started crying again. Since it was because of her powers he was like that, she couldn't do anything not like in the past where it was the contrary.

            "I'm... sorry.... for saying you...were resp...onsible for Squall... It's not true... I am... For not...being able...to save you from...Hyne and resist...her manipul...ation..."

            "No..." she said as she rubbed his cheek full of blood. "I'm responsible for giving myself to her willingly... I did it to protect Squall and I ended up killing him... He must be mad at me..."

            "No... He knew you...wanted him...to kill you but...he couldn't do it... I think he...wanted to die... He asked me to ...kill him.... He knew this ...would break the link... between you two.... and bring you back... Now... that you have the power... you can do...what you want... end this world or rule...it forever... whatever you...want, I'll always...love you..."

            He blinked slowly and a tear ran down his cheek, making a trace through the blood.

            "I wish... I could... see you...touch you...one last time..."

            Coran took Seifer's hand and brought it to her face, not caring it was stained with blood. Seifer smiled then died.

            Coran's face is free of all emotions as Seifer's words find their way in her mind. She got up and looked around. Her friends' bodies, reamains of the Centra ruins... She could even feel that part of the world was blown away.

            "I will do it.. I'll carry on Hyne's will since she's part of me..."

            She didn't want to rule what was left of the world. She didn't want to leave alone for all eternity knowing she was responsible for her loneliness. So she would do it. But she didn't want to end the world, she wanted to restart it. A world with no monsters to fight, no Sorceresses, no magic, no GFs... A world where humans could only rely on themselves to live in peace.

            She spread her wings which weren't the same anymore, they were more like angel wings, dark blue wings with white strands covering them, huge wings, strong enough to lift her up over the ground. She raised both her arms over her head and took off. She closed her eyes, concentrating.

            She let her feelings take her over which would help her do it as it should be. A new chance for everyone.

            She could feel her friends' presence around her then she knew she was doing the right thing.

            "We'll meet again in the future... and we'll be friends again..."

            A red light surrounded her. It was getting brighter and brighter, bigger and bigger then the whole planet turned red. Cracks of fire appeared all over the surface. Then it exploded! Pieces of the planet were scattered accross space. As each piece was moving slowly away from each other, everything went backward, like someone recorded it and played it back. The pieces were coming all back together. The Earth was on fire, lava exploding all over the world. Slowly, it started to cool down. Slowly, seas and grass replaced fire and rocks. Until the continents we once knew were completely gone, replaced by the ones we know today, ready for a new beggining. For new people and old ones to start over again...

Note: Finally! The last chapter's done!!! I really didn't expect it to be so long, I'm really sorry!! But there's still a nice epilogue coming. It's been waiting for nearly two years to be put in!! I wrote it before writing The Forgotten Guardian Force!!!

**So, what do you think? Did I miss something? Was it good? Was it bad, any comments at all!!!**


	8. Epilogue: Start Over

_A/N : I edited this chapter with the japanese names. Since its taking place in Japan, I thought it was only fitting. For the main characters, I got the name just like they're supposed to be but for Coran, i saw it written somewhere. For Cid, Ellone, Raine and Caraway, I tried to write it as I think it should be written. Enjoy!_

Epilogue : Start Over

            Tokyo, 2002.

            A middle aged woman wearing blue jeans, a cream coloured sweater with a hairband holding her long brown hair away from her face, stood down the staircase, looking up.

            "Sukoru! Kohran!" she called. "Hurry up, or you'll be late... again!"

            "Cooooooming!" both answered from up the stairs.

            The woman shook her head with a smile and went back in the kitchen. A black shoulder length haired man was seated at the table in front of a cup of coffee. When the woman stepped in, he looked up his newspaper with a smile.

            "I can't believe how slow they are," he said.

            "They're definately your children, Raguna Rewaru."

            "Ha! Because you're better, maybe? Rain Reonhatto?"

            She smiled back and he hid his face behind the papers again.

            In one of the rooms upstairs, a 17 years old teen was finishing dressing up.

            "Damn uniform!" he cursed.

            He put on his black pants and found his black jacket on his chair. He put it on over his grey t-shirt without tying it up. He took his school bag from his desk and hurried to the door before suddenly spin around, his bronze hair falling into his eyes.

            "Dammit!" he said pushing it away, brushing the scar between his crystal blue eyes in the process.

            He dashed to his desk and snatched his necklace and ring both made of platinium in the same time before hurrying back to the door. He got out and hurried to the closed door facing his room.

            "Kohran, hurry!!" he called at the door.

            He put on his ring with a winged lion carved on it on his right hand and the lion head necklace over his head. It was heavy but he was used to it.

            "Did you hear me?" he asked again.

            "I can't find my skirt!" a girl exclaimed in distress. "There it is!"

            Few seconds later, the girl came out. She had waist long hair. She was wearing a black knee level skirt, a dark blue vest closed over a white shirt and a black bow on her shest. She was holding her school bag in her hands.

            Their hair was the same colour, their eyes were the same colour and they even were as tall. Even though they were twins, it was a bit unusual for a boy and a girl to look so much alike. As a guy, Sukoru was a good height, but for a girl, Kohran was pretty tall.

            "Sorry," she said with a wink.

            "Let's go!"

            Their running steps on the floor and all the way down the stairs sounded more like there was a dozen people coming down. They bursted in the kitchen, causing Rain to startle. Raguna was getting up, about to leave. He was a journalist.

            "Hi, kids! Late again?" he teased.

            "Not yet, dad!" Kohran exclaimed.

            She rushed to the fridge and took out a bottle of orange juice and two glasses from the cupboard. She filled them before putting the bottle back in the fridge. Sukoru past her to put bread in the toaster. She showed him the glass and he gladly swallowed the content in a gulp. Then he put it in the sink in the same time Kohran did. He put butter on the toasts then gave one to his sister.

            "Hey, where's Erone?" Sukoru asked.

            Erone was his adoptive sister. Her parents were killed in a shooting attack. Since she didn't have any known family, Rain took her in before she met Raguna. Erone was five years older than the twins.

            "She's at the orphanage down the street to help that woman again."

            "Idia? Again? She's always there!"

            The twins ran out of the kitchen.

            "See ya tonight!" Kohran said.

            "Later!" Sukoru said along.

            Holding their toast between their teeth, they were putting their shoes on in the hall.

            "Wait!"

            They froze and Rain came out of the kitchen with two lunch bags. One was silver grey and the other crustal blue with darker sparkles all over it.

            Kohran hurried to Rain and quickly took the blue bag from her, swallowing her toast.

            "I love you, mom!" she exclaimed putting a kiss on her cheek.

            "Thanks a lot, mother!" Sukoru said granting her one of his rare smiles.

            Raguna joined them to leave as well.

            "You can still make it if you hurry," he said with his camera bouncing on his chest.

            "We're leaving!" Kohran said. "Take lots of pictures of breath-taking sceneries, dad!"

            "Ah, Kohran, you ask me that everyday... But I'll try!"

            "Thanks! Bye!"

            She opened the door and waited for Sukoru.

            "Hey, Sukoru!" Raguna called. "When are you gonna introduce us a girlfriend?"

            He winked at Rain who giggled when Sukoru blushed. Both knew only too well Sukoru was uneasy with girls other than Kohran, except for Kisutisu who was their personal study teacher and Serufi who was acting younger than she was.

            "Give me a break, Raguna!"

            The older man frowned.

            "Sukoru, I told you to call me 'dad' or at least 'father'."

            Sukoru scratched the back of his head.

            "Sorry, I just can't seem to get used to call you father..."

            "Sukoru!" Kohran called.

            "Gotta go!"

            He ran outside after his sister. Raguna smiled and turned to Rain.

            "They're still so young..." he said.

            She sighed and looked away.

            "Yeah but they're the same age then..."

            "Shh!!"

            Raguna looked around to be sure no on was listening.

            "Don't talk so loud. I think we're not supposed to know. At least not yet."

            "What about them? Do you think they..."

            He shook his head.

            "No, probably not. Not completely at least. From their friends, I'd say they know only deep inside."

            Rain tiptoed to get her face closer to Raguna's.

            "I'm glad they don't remember," she said. "But I'm grateful life let me live to see them grow up... this time. When I realized I remembered, I was afraid I'd..."

            Raguna hugged her tight before kissing her gently.

            "I'm glad you're still with me," he said.

            They smiled to each other.

            "And I hope they won't regain their memory. They're so happy now..."

            "Especially Kohran."

            Raguna looked at his watch and widened his eyes in horror.

            "I'm being influenced by the kids! I'm gonna be late!"  
            He hurried outside.

            "See ya tonight!"

            And he left.

            Sukoru and Kohran ran as fast as they could like they did almost everyday. They took a quick look in a dojo's courtyard on the their way.

            "Zeru!" Sukoru called.

            "Forget him," Kohran said as they kept running.

            They were passing by the fence when a scream caught their attention, causing them to freeze.

            "Yaaaah!"

            A blond teen guy with chicken punk hair style suddenly landed behind the twins. His unique black tattoo on his face which caused him trouble at school was catching everyone not-knowing-him's attention.

            At school, tattoos and even punk hair was forbidden but Zeru's family was respected and known for one of the greatest families of martial artists.

            He was wearing the same uniform than Sukoru except his vest was tied up and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

            He stood up and winked at his friends with his thumb up, smiling widely.

            "Yo!"

            "I hate when you do that!" Sukoru scolded.

            "We'll talk about that later! We must hurry," Kohran reminded.

            The boys looked at each other and started running again with Kohran. Zeru ran a little faster to catch up with the girl.

            "Hey, Kohran! Why don't you just..." he started.

            "What?"

            "Huh... Forget it."

            The three made it to school yard and into the school. Was it fate but they were all in the same class and they made it just before the bell rang.

            Kohran leaned over, her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

            "Made it," Zeru said closing his eyes with a sigh.

            The teacher wasn't there yet.

            "Guess who?"

            Someone placed hands over Kohran's eyes from behind.

            "Saifaa?" she asked.

            She turned around to a smiling blond head face. With blue eyes and a scar between them going diagonally oppositely to Sukoru's, Saifaa had caught her attention for a while.

            "I thought you wouldn't make it," he said.

            "Who are you taking me for?"

            She went to sit down next to the windows, Saifaa next to her, Sukoru in front of him with Zeru next to him. There was a long brown haired boy behind them, hair tied in a ponytail. He bent forward to Kohran.

            "Have you seen Serufi on your way?" he asked.

            "Sorry, Awain."

            He sat back, deceived.

            "She should be here soon," a blond girl sitting not far said.

            Awain hopefully turned to her. She had blue eyes with small glasses held in her hand. Her hair was piled in the back of her head. She really had the teacher's look.

            "You sure, Kisutisu?"

            "Yes. She should be here about..."

            "Booyaka! Made it!" a little girl voice exclaimed.

            "...now."

            A curled brown haired girl bursted in. She wasn't very tall but as usual, her cheerful face brought a smile on Irvine's face. He got up.

            "Hey, Sefi!"

            "Awi!" she exclaimed waving at him with a wide smile on her face.

            She stepped in and went to sit down next to him, putting her school bag on her desk.

            "Whew! I was afraid I wouldn't make it!"

            The blond girl disaprovingly shook her head.

            "I told you to get in when the bell rings, Serufi."

            The brunette pulled a long face.

            "Awww.... Bossy...."

            Further in the front, Sukoru was losing patience.

            "What's taking so long?" he asked tapping his fingers on his desk. "We finally manage not to be late but this time, it's the teacher!"

            Saifaa leant aginst the back of his chair, his hands behind his head.

            "Bah... As long as there're no teacher, there's no class..."

            "And no homeworks!" Zeru exclaimed raising his fist.

            Saifaa looked at his friend.

            "For once, I agree with you!"

            Usually, Saifaa and Zeru weren't getting along very well. They just couldn't seem to do it. Not that they didn't try, it was as if it was deep inside. Leftovers of their past life. But they were trying. Everyone hanging together wasn't so bad.

            "Hey, guys!" Awain called.

            The gang all turned to him.

            "Nida showed me a new card game this morning. With monsters and all. I'll show you later."

            "Really?" Serufi asked getting all excited.

            "It's really fun."

            Saifaa crossed his arms on his chest. He was also losing patience. Do nothing was always fun, but after a while, it was getting boring.

            "What's taking so long? If I'd have known, I would have stayed with Raijin and Fuujin longer!"

            Raijin and Fuujin were the two completely different friends of Saifaa. They were always around him, even if they weren't saying anything.

            The door of the classroom.suddenly opened and a brown haired middle aged man entered. With his small square glasses, Everyone recognized the principal Sido Kurama so they quieted down. He stood in front of the class with his hands behind his back. He smiled to see everyone so straight and silent.

            "Good morning, everyone. Sorry I kept your teacher away from you for so long."

            "It's nothing, really," Zeru whispered.

            But that caused the whole class to burst into laughter. Sido smiled and did as if he hasn't heard anything. He continued.

            "You all know Mr. Karawe who's an important member of the military forces. His daughter has been transfered from her private school to this one and in your class. Please welcome her warmly."

            He turned to the door and nodded. The teacher came in followed by a teenage girl. She had black hair with brown strands in the front. It was going a little under her shoulders. She also had deep dark eyes. Her hands joined on her skirt, holding her bag, she bowed with a smile.

            "Hello everyone. My name's Karawe, Rinoa. I hope I can know you all a little better and make friends with most of you."

            Everyone smiled at her. The teacher steeped forward after thankling the principal. Sido left the classroom.

            "You can sit in the front over there," the teacher said showing Rinoa a seat.

            "Thank you."

            The seat was in the complete front and just in front of Kohran and next to Sukoru. Zeru was on his other side. She sat down smiling at him. He didn't realize yet that he was staring at her. Awain was too, but it was more to tease Serufi.

            "Awi, stop that," she whispered.

            He smiled at her.

            Rinoa turned and bent her head to Sukoru.

            "Hi, what's your name?" she asked in a whisper.

            "Rewaru, Sukoru," he whispered back a bit nervous.

            "Nice to meet you."

            Her warm smile melt Sukoru to the core. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. But when the teacher called everyone to pay attention, the magic disappeared.

            When the bell called break time, everyone hurried outside since it was such a nice day. Raijin and Fuujin were already there waiting for Saifaa. Raijin was a tall dark skinned man with short black hair. He looked like the uniform was too small for him. Unlike Fuujin who was thin and small with short grey hair. She had white skin and apatch over an eye, result of an accident in her younger days. Her free one was red as an  albino's. She looked fragile but don't judge her by her appearance. She could be tougher than Raijin.

            Zeru elbowed Sukoru playfully once they were seated on the grass for lunch.

            "Hey, what did you think of Rinoa?"

            "Wh... What are you talking about?"

            "Come on! Don't play that with us!" Awain teased along.

            Fuujin looked around.

            "Saifaa, where?" she asked.

            Serufi shrugged.

            "Probably with Kohran."

            And that was exactly the case. The couple has found a dark and lonely place behind the school. Kohran had her back resting against the wall and Saifaa had a hand on the wall over her shoulder.

            "I'm glad," Saifaa said. "This life is great!"

            "So you remember?"

            Saifaa closed his eyes and smiled. That smile he was showing only to her.

            "No... Not completely. It's more like I know but I can't voice it."

            "Me too."

            She pushed herself off the wall and onto Saifaa's chest. He hugged her.

            "But I wish I wouldn't know... When I try to remember, my head hurts and I feel like crying. I don't want to think about it, about what I did... whatever I did, I know it was bad..."

            "Shh... I'm sure you did what was right. I'm sure you're much happier here and now."

            He held her shoulders at arms length.

            "What about your..."

            "I don't wanna think about that... I'm not using any strength I have.... I know I have such a strength but that's all."

            "That's fine with me."

            He kissed her gently. Then they smiled at each other as Kohran's cheeks turned a bit red. Then they decided to join the others. Raijin was the first one to see them coming.

            "There you are! We were wondering, ya know!"

            Everyone was there: Sukoru, Kohran, Zeru, Kisutisu, Saifaa, Awain, Serufi, Raijin and Fuujin. Kohran turned to Zeru.

            "Hey, Zeru what did you try to tell me this morning?"

            "What? Oh, I just felt like asking why you..."

            "Um, hi!" a voice suddenly interrupted.

            Everyone looked up to the dark haired girl.

            "Hi!" Serufi greeted cheerfully. "Your name's Rinoa, right?"

            She nodded.

            "Mind if I join in?"

            Everyone accepted heartfully. She sat down beside Sukoru who stared at her again. While the others were talking, she turned to him.

            "Is there something on my face?" she asked with a smile pointing her nose.

            Sukoru blushed shamefully and looked away realizing he was staring... again.

            "N...No, it's just that..."

            He turned back to her.

            "Have me met somewhere before?"

            "Hmm, I don't think so," she answered thoughtfully. "At least not in this lifetime."

            "Huh?"

            "Oh, it's just that I believe in reincarnations. This déjà-vu may be from a past life."

            "Maybe..."

            Kohran was trying to get Zeru to talk again.

            "Say now what youwanted to say before we're interrupted again..."

            "Why do you insist so much? Huh... I don't remember anymore!"

            The bell rang the return in class so everyone hurried back in. Before entering, Zeru caught Kohran.

            "Oh yeah, I remember now! I wanted to ask you to use your powers and zap us here instead of running...."

            She faced him her back.

            "I didn't want to... I don't know why I have them but I don't want them, so I'm not using them..."

            "Relax, now! I don't even understand why I felt like asking that! That's why I told you to forget it. It came in my mind but then it sounded so dumb!"

            He went inside scratching the back of his head. Kohran traced him a moment, thoughful, then followed .

            Somehow, everyone knew the truth about their past life they just didn't stop to think about it. They deeply knew they belonged with each other like Sukoru and Rinoa. Fate was generous with them, just like Haine (Hyne) used all her powers to give them that chance.

            Back in class, Sukoru once again couldn't keep his eyes off Rinoa. He had to ask, he just had to.

            "Hum, Rinoa?"

            She turned to him with a warm smile.

            "Yes?"

            "Hum... Why were you transfered here?"

            She smiled even more. Sukoru blushed not even knowing why.

            "Are you asking if I was thrown out?"

            "N...no!"

            "I asked my father..."

            Sukoru's red face came back to normal.

            "I felt like I was called here. Something dragged me here."

            Then she started laughing with a clear laugh from Sukoru's serious face.

            "It's silly," she said.

            "No, not at all!"

            She smiled again.

            "You're nice..."

            The teacher came in and class began.

            At the end of the day, Kohran told Sukoru she was leaving with Saifaa. Zeru had to go to the library (so he said but everyone knew he had a crush on the girl working there) Kisutisu wanted to go study and Awain left with Serufi since they were neighbours, leaving Sukoru alone with Rinoa.

            She was walking by his side, her shcool bag held by her two hands on her thighs. Sukoru was holding his over his shoulder.

            "That scar you have," she started, "how did you get it?"

            They stopped in the school yard. Sukoru turned to her.

            "Did you see Saifaa's?"

            She nodded.

            "We had a fight earlier this year and we hurt each other."

            "Oh? I thought you were friends."

            "We are. We were just training, improving our skills and... we just went a little too far."

            They were near the school gate, facing each other. They were to leave on opposite ways to go home.

            "Will I see you again?" Rinoa asked.

            "Of course, we're in the same class!"

            "That's not exactly what I meant..."

            Sukoru looked at her curiously.

            "In fact," she said lowering her head, "I'm not sure what I meant."

            Sukoru turned to the street, looking to the sky.

            "I'll be here."

            Rinoa looked up to him.

            "Huh? Why?"

            "I'll be waiting... here," he said with a nod.

            "For what?"

            He turned to her and smiled.

            "Tomorrow. If you come here, you'll find me..."

            He lowered his head.

            "I promise..."

            Their lips met and locked together as they closed their eyes and let go of their school bags, not caring about the people staring at them and blushing from the street...

**The End**

Note: Finally the epilogue found it's place in my story!! I wrote it a while ago! Long before the story was even started! I just didn't want to forget it.

            Thanks to all my faithful readers! What do you think of this ending? You didn't really think I was gonna leave everyone dead were you? Personnally, I think it's cool but maybe a little confusing... Like everyone knows of their past life but don't know in the same time. It's more like they don't realize it.

**            So?? Was it good?**

**            Hey, I've been thinking of something after I came up with this ending... What about Ultimecia??? The world ended before she would even show up!!! And I got a killer idea about this! The story would occur in Tokyo again and everyone would end up regaining their memories... Want me to do it?? It won't be like a sequel, more like another chapter... Should I do it? Give me comments!!**

**            Read my other fics! I've got more to come yet!!**

**            Thanks for reading, I really appreciate!**

**            _Carole M._**

**_            Epilogue written march 28 2001_**

**_            Fanfic finished February 1 2003 at 10:44 A.M._**


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